‘Tis the season to be jolly, but you can forget about that in political circles. The current angst about the economy and taxes is so intense that even Santa’s reindeers are spooked. Speaking the other day on a cable news program, liberal Congressman Jim McDermott put it this way: “This is Christmas time. We talk about Good Samaritans, the poor, the little baby Jesus in the cradle and all this stuff. And then we say to the unemployed we won’t give you a check to feed your family. That’s simply wrong.”

As I wrote in this space a couple of weeks ago, the liberal agenda in America is expanding and now includes demands for guaranteed jobs at good wages for all who want to work. Unemployment benefits were extended again this year, and if the Obama tax compromise is passed, $150 billion more will be added to the deficit. Adding it all up, the total debt of the United States will soon exceed $14 trillion.